Dustpan with control handle



Jan. 11, 1955 ack 2,699,050

DUSTPAN WITH CONTROL HANDLE Filed June 1, 1954 IN V EN TOR. GEOH GE Macmr United States Patent 2,699,050 DUSTPAN WITH CONTROL HANDLE George MacKay, San Francisco, Calif. Application June 1, 1954, Serial No. 433,518 2 Claims. (CI. 65-20) My present invention relates to cleaning apparatus and more particularly, an improvement in dustpans of the type used for gathering sweepings in lobbies and hallways of public buildings.

An object of the invention is to provide a dustpan of the type having an upstanding handle that can be used to collect sweepings by an operator standing erect, and conveniently emptied without a spilling of its contents as frequently happens with dustpans that have a hinged or rigidly fixed handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly for the handle of a dustpan embodying a novel pivotal connection between the dustpan and its handle that will permit the dustpan to assume a discharging position with respect to its handle or a co-extending position when hung by its handle upon a supporting hook.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not limitation, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of a dustpan constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View showing the dustpan of Figure 1 with the parts in different relative positions,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the dustpan of Figure 1, with the dustpan in section to more clearly show details of construction, and

Figure 4 is a similar fragmentary view partially in section, taken along line IVIV of Figure 3.

At the present time there are available on the market several dilferent types of dustpans that are pivotally mounted upon an upstanding handle. In some of these the handle is pivotally connected to the dustpan through a bale connected to the forward portion of the dustpan so that when picked up, the dustpan will tilt rearwardly to shift its contents into a pocket formed at the rear thereof. This is inconvenient as it requires the use of two hands of the operator in dumping its contents. In instances Where the handle is pivotally connected with the dustpan at other points it is necessary, when in discharging its contents by manipulation through the handle, to tip the dustpan sideways and this is objectionable as it results in a cloud of dust when the contents is discharged into a collection receptacle. By my invention, however, it is possible to discharge the dustpan by simply permitting the dustpan to swing downwardly at its open front to discharge its contents. Another advantage is that when my dustpan is kept in a broom closet it can be hung upon a hook with the dustpan disposed flat against the wall.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawing wherein a dustpan, designated at the numeral 10, is shown as pivotally secured upon a supporting member 11, which has a vertically extended handle 12. The dustpan is mounted at its rear wall upon a pivotal support 13 formed upon the supporting member 11 and it is held in operative right angled relation to the handle 12 by a latching member 14. This latching member 14 is pivotally mounted upon the dustpan supporting member 11 at a point where it will engage the rear wall of the dustpan 10 and a spring 15 operates to bias the latching member 14 into an operative position. Extending upwardly from the latching member 14 there is a control member 16 that terminates with a ring 17 near the upper end of the handle 12 by which member 16 is pulled to render the latching member 14 inoperative. In this manner the dustpan 10, when elevated, will be free to assume a discharging position, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, when released by the latching member 14. The handle 12 is also provided with a ring 24 for hanging the dustpan on a hook or nail.

By now referring to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, 1t wlll be seen that the supporting member 11 is formed from a sheet of metal rolled into substantially cylindrical form and thus provides a socket or receptacle into which the handle 12 can be inserted. In the formation of this supporting member 11 the meeting edges of the sheet metal are provided with extensions which when turned outwardly as shown provide spaced ears 18 between which a bearing member 19 carried by the dustpan 10 is adapted to be pivotally secured by a pin or rivet 20. In like manner the latching member 14 is pivotally mounted between spaced ears 21 that are similarly formed substantlally in vertical alignment above the spaced ears 18. An additional ear or projection 22 at one edge of the sheet metal forms a support for the lower end of the spring 15 which is connected at its upper end to the latching member 14. In the drawing I have also shown the sup porting member 11 as deformed slightly from its generally cylindrical configuration to provide a foot-like end 23 which may take any desired shape.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dustpan, the combination of a dust collecting pan having upstanding sides, a back wall and an open front, a pan supporting member of tubular construction havlng spaced ears between which said pan is pivotally mounted at its back wall, and having a second pair of spaced ears forming a pivotal mounting for a pan latching member, a latch member pivotally mounted between said latter pair of spaced ears adapted and arranged to engage the back wall and hold said pan in right angled relationship with said tubular pan supporting member, a handle extending upwardly from said pan supporting member, by which said pan is held for the reception of sweepmgs by a broom in the hand of the operator, spring means for biasing said latch member into engagement with the back wall of said pan, and a control wire extending upward and along said handle from said latch and operating to overcome the bias of said spring member and render said latch member inoperative to hold said pan against pivotal movement relative to said pan supporting member.

2. In a dustpan of the character described, the combination of a dustpan supporting member of sheet metal rolled into substantially cylindrical form for the reception of a handle the meeting edges of the metal being provided with turned out tabs that form vertically spaced pairs of spaced ears which provide vertically aligned pivotal points for a dustpan and for a latching member, a dustpan pivotally mounted between the lowermost of said spaced cars, a latching member extending into latching engagement with said dustpan when in its normal position pivotally mounted between the uppermost of said spaced ears, a handle member extending upwardly from said dustpan supporting member, and an operating means for controlling said latching member extending upwardly along said handle and terminating adjacent the upper end thereof, whereby said latching member may be operated to release said dustpan for the discharge without a sidewise tilting of the dustpan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 57,6l4 Winegar Aug. 28, 1866 300,870 Immel June 24, 1884 332,591 Cloud Dec. 15, 1885 958,255 Koertner May 17, 1910 1,191,945 Carlson July 25, 1916 2,505,113 Handley Apr. 25, 1950 

